


The Whole World

by Desertpoet



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Established Relationship, Kidnapping, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desertpoet/pseuds/Desertpoet
Summary: James arrives home to find Q has gone missing.
Relationships: James Bond/Q
Comments: 5
Kudos: 88
Collections: 2019-2020 00Q Reverse Big Bang





	The Whole World

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2019-2020 00q Reverse Bang. Based on the art prompt "Missing" by Alcyone. You can see it below.
> 
> Special Thanks to Alcyone for creating such inspiring art.
> 
> Thanks to Jilly James for alpha and beta reading this fic, and to Claire Watson for giving it a second beta. This story is much better for all their hard work and all remaining mistakes are mine.

__

Art by Alcyone

_“_ _Sometimes, only one person is missing, and the whole world seems depopulated.”_

— Alphonse de Lamartine

Adrian Hennessey, code name Q, left the tube station and walked toward his flat. He was tired but happy because his partner James was coming home tonight from a month-long mission, and his flight was due in a couple of hours. Adrian planned to show him exactly how much he’d been missed. It was their one-year anniversary, and James had promised to do his best to be home in time to celebrate.

Adrian was planning a romantic dinner, so he’d left work early to get ready. He stopped in at a gourmet market and bought several things for dinner. He planned to cook the meal tonight from scratch. Admittedly Adrian wasn’t much of a cook, but he prepared a mean steak. It was a gamble, but James would appreciate the effort he had gone to, no matter how it turned out.

He was lost in thoughts about the night ahead, and not paying that much attention to his surroundings. He was only two blocks from home when a black van drove up the alley on his right and stopped in front of him. The side door opened, and three men wearing black ski masks jumped out. Adrian let his bags fall to the ground and got ready to defend himself. Two of the men reached out to grab Adrian. He reacted immediately, his training coming into play.

Still, three against one weren’t good odds, and he was grabbed from behind. Adrian slammed his head against the man’s nose as hard as he could, and when the man’s grip loosened, he kicked him in the balls. He was suddenly free, and he turned quickly punching the man in the face. The man hit the ground with a grunt. There were still two others to deal with. He was lucky they didn’t seem to be armed.

He turned to face another of his attackers but before he could do anything else, he was grabbed him from behind again. His arms were seized and moved behind his back. Adrian struggled but to no avail. These assholes were too strong. Adrian started to panic and struggle as hard as he could against the hand holding him. _Maybe he could still get away,_ he thought, but then he felt a pinch in his neck and the last thought he had before everything went dark was, _James is never going to let me hear the end of this._

***

_Three Hours Missing_

James Bond’s plane landed at Heathrow on time for a change much to his relief. He was exhausted but pleased to be home. It had been a long month, and he’d missed his lover. According to Arian’s last text, he was waiting for James at home. It was their anniversary, and if he knew Adrian, there was a surprise waiting for him.

He tried calling on the way home, but it went directly to voicemail. James frowned when Adrian still didn’t pick up, but he knew Adrian would call him back soon. James walked into his flat and found the apartment dark. He turned on the lights as he searched the apartment. In the kitchen, he saw that the table was already set for dinner for two, complete with candles waiting to be lit. Bond walked toward the bedroom, calling Adrian’s name. He didn’t get an answer.

Their cat Frodo wound himself around James’ feet, purring. James picked him up and petted him. “Where’s your daddy?” Frodo just pushed against James hand in response, demanding scratches behind the ears.

James smiled glad he’d beat Adrian home. He got himself ready for their dinner. He put on the charcoal grey suit that Adrian loved and imagined Adrian’s reaction when he saw James in it. Once, he walked back into the living room and was surprised to realize that Adrian still wasn’t home yet.

Growing concerned, James tried Adrian’s cell again, but it went straight to voicemail. He then tried the office number. The phone rang several times and then went to voicemail. James' gut was telling him something was wrong. It wasn’t like Adrian not to answer his calls. Still, he should wait a little while before raising an alarm. Adrian wasn’t that late.

 _He’s fine._ James told himself. _He just got held up._ Maybe he’d been held up at work or maybe he’d stopped somewhere on the way home. James changed clothes and made himself some tea and sat down to wait, Frodo curled up next to him. Half an hour later, Adrian still wasn’t home, and James couldn’t ignore his unease any longer. Adrian might be late, but he should have been in contact by now.

He rang Michelle, who was Adrian’s second in command. Adrian had handpicked her himself, and she was someone they both trusted. When he found Adrian, he was never going to let him forget that he was the one who was late for their anniversary for a change.

“Hello, Bond,” she answered cheerfully. “I’m surprised you’re calling me. Don’t tell me you’re in trouble and need my help. I know Q has some special plans for you tonight. He’ll be upset if you don’t make it home.”

James felt his stomach drop. “So, he isn’t at work? I expected him to be here when I arrived, but the apartment is empty, and he isn’t answering his phone.”

“No, he left the office hours ago. He was looking forward to welcoming you home. I have no idea where he might be, but I know he was planning on taking the tube.”

James sighed. “I see.” James hated it when Adrian took the tube because he didn’t think it was safe enough. He wanted Adrian to be driven home or at least take a cab, but Adrian could be stubborn. He was determined to have as normal a life as possible.

“Do you think something might have happened to him?”

James took a deep breath. “I’m not sure but I’m concerned that I haven’t heard from him. It’s against procedure for him not to answer his phone. I assumed he was temporarily distracted but he wouldn’t be out of contact for this long. Maybe he just broke or lost his phone but that doesn’t explain why he’s not here. Besides, he would find a way to get a message to me and let me know he was delayed.”

“You’re right it isn’t like him to be so thoughtless. Hold on I’ll try pinging his phone.” He heard the clickity-clack of her rapid typing.”

“Thank you.” James waited impatiently. She was right it wasn’t like Adrian to be so thoughtless, if he’d just lost track of time or hadn’t thought to call in James was going to be furious. They rarely fought but they would have this out. James needed to make sure Adrian knew disappearing like this was unacceptable. They both knew this already. Adrian would be just as angry if their positions were reversed.

“Hmm. it seems to be turned off. I’ll try to remotely turn it on.”

A few seconds later, she spoke again, and her voice shook a little. “I can’t wake it. I think it might have been destroyed. Oh my god. This is not good.”

James' heart stopped for a moment, and he forced himself to stay calm. “Where was his phone last?” James knew that if his phone had broken Adrian would have let someone know. It was standard procedure. Something was wrong here.

“It pinged a mobile tower a few blocks from your flat. Q didn’t send a message though.”

“Check the CCTV cameras. I want to know the exact route he took and see if you can find out what has happened to him.”

“Of course.” There was more typing. “I’ve got it. It’ll take a few minutes, but I’ll send the information to your phone.”

There was a gourmet shop they liked close to their flat. It was also near the tube stop, and Adrian might have decided to stop there. He’d trace the path back from the tube station to their flat and check all the shops along the way.

“I’m going to look for him. Let me know what you find. Also, please inform M that Adrian isn’t answering his phone.”

“I will.” Michelle agreed. “I hope you find him. I’ll have a medical team ready in case you need one. I’ll also start checking all the hospitals.”

James thanked Michelle and hung up. He was going to find Adrian. He didn’t let himself think about the possibility that he might be dead. He was alive, and James would find him.

He went into the shop and confirmed that Adrian had indeed been there. Then he walked along the route home. A couple of blocks away in the mouth of an alley he found some groceries and a bottle of wine lying in the snow. He also found Adrian’s phone in pieces in the street.

The nearest camera was far enough away that he didn’t think that the CCTV had caught anything. This was an abduction, and someone had planned it carefully. He felt pain in his palms and realized he was digging his nails into his skin. He unclenched his fists. His heart slammed into his chest, and James forced himself to focus.

James left everything where it was and called Michelle to get a team to come and look over the scene for any evidence.

When he reached the office, he headed for Q Branch, but Tanner intercepted him and directed him to M’s office. He’d rather speak to Michelle directly, but James assumed M wanted a sit rep from him. The new M was just as hands-on as his predecessor had been. He respected Mallory but James had never grown to like him.

Eve was waiting for him outside the lift. James nodded at her and returned it. “We’re going to find him, James,” she said fiercely, and James nodded. They would find him. James wouldn’t accept any other outcome. This felt like a waste of time though. James wanted to go and look for Adrian right now. “Come with me.” She led him to M’s door which was wide open.

“Come in,” M called out. He was seated behind his desk, looking as angry as James felt. Their eyes met and M nodded. In this, they were united. “James, please sit down.” M motioned to the chair in front of his desk. “Tell me what you know so far. How did you realize Q was missing?”

James ignored the question. “What do we know so far? I need to get out there and look for Q. He’ll be waiting for me to find him!”

“Please humor me, and then I’ll fill you in.”

James gritted his teeth but nodded and told Mallory the whole story.

M sighed and leaned back in his chair. “God Damn it. How did this happen?”

James ignored the question. Adrian had been out on his own. James would make sure his security was increased in the future. “Do we have CCTV footage of the incident? Has Michelle found anything else yet? What about a ransom request?”

Mallory held up a hand. “No, we haven’t received any ransom calls, and we haven’t heard any chatter about who has taken Q. We’re keeping an eye on all forms of transportation. So far, there is no sign of him at any of the airports. It’s possible he’s being held here in England or somewhere else in the U.K. We’re exploring all the possibilities.”

“But you don’t know anything.” James pointed out. He made sure his tone didn’t outwardly betray any of his inner turmoil.

Mallory ignored him and looked away toward the large screen against the wall. “No, we don’t know much yet, but the good news is that you realized he was gone quickly. That will work to our advantage. We’re going to find our Quartermaster.”

Eve nodded in agreement.

James wanted to run his hand over his hair in frustration, but he forced himself to stay still. “How are we going to find him if no one has any leads?” he demanded.

Eve walked over to the bar and poured him a small measure of whiskey. “Drink,” she ordered.

James shook his head. “I shouldn’t. I need my head to be clear.”

“It’s just a little. It’ll make you feel calmer.”

James drank the whiskey in one swallow. It burned his throat as it went down, but the burn was familiar and comforting. He relaxed slightly.

“Better?” Eve asked.

“Yes. Can I see the CCTV footage now?” James knew that the abduction itself hadn’t been caught on camera, but he was hoping they’d find some clues by checking the others in the area. Surely, they’d be able to figure out what happened from the other cameras in the areas.

Eve looked at Mallory who nodded. Eve picked up a tablet and turned toward the large screen. She tapped the tablet and James watched her pull up the footage.

“Here it is. There isn’t much I’m afraid.” James watched as Adrian came into view. He walked past the camera carrying groceries. He was smiling. James focused on his face for a moment. Adrian walked out of view toward their flat.

Eve spoke, but James didn’t look away from the screen. “There’s an alley just past this camera. That’s where he was grabbed.”

James realized he was clutching the glass so hard his fingers were white. He forced himself to relax his grip and took a deep breath.

Eve tapped her tablet and another video came up. “This camera shows a black van pulling away from the area a couple of minutes after Adrian walked into the alley but there’s no license plate. We looked at camera footage from a few minutes earlier and we found the van idling around the corner from the alley. We are currently tracking the other vehicles that were in the area easily. While we were able to follow this van for several blocks then it disappeared. That suggests that this is our kidnapper’s vehicle and that whoever did this must know where all the blind spots are. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm it though.”

It was suspicious. James trusted Adrian’s team to check all the possibilities. “There aren’t many of those,” James said quietly. “If we’re right. This was planned carefully.” These people clearly had information they shouldn’t.

This didn’t get them any closer to finding Adrian. “Do we have any leads? I want to get out and look for him as soon as possible,” he repeated. His voice rose a little with his agitation. He _had_ to get Adrian back.

M lifted a hand. “I have the entire Q branch looking for him, and I’ve also called in MI5. They are going to take the lead on the search.”

“What? That’s ridiculous. Q has trained and vetted all his employees. They’ll do everything in their power to get Q back. Our people are the best ones for the job.”

M pinched the bridge of his nose. “MI6 does not operate on British soil. You know this. I can’t have 00’s rushing around the country looking for Q. I can only imagine the sheer amount of destruction that would ensue. We and MI5 will be conducting a joint investigation.”

James glared at him but didn’t protest. He’d simply have to circumvent his orders when the time came. The last thing he needed was to be sent home. He couldn’t afford for M to freeze him out until he knew where Adrian was.

M knew him well. He glared right back. “Until we know for sure he’s been taken out of the country you will stand down. Am I clear?” His tone was implacable.

“Yes, sir,” James bit out. He stood up and paced the length of the office.

Mallory’s face softened. “Bond, I know this is difficult, but we have to take this one step at a time. I promise to keep you informed every step of the way.”

James looked at the screen and Adrian’s smiling face frozen on the CCTV footage. He knew Mallory was right. He couldn’t just tear the city apart looking for Adrian no matter how much he wanted to. He needed information, a direction to go in. He’d have to wait until they found something, then he’d do whatever was necessary. “I want to be told the moment you hear anything.”

M nodded and smiled grimly. “Of course. We will do everything we can, James. You have my word.”

James nodded and stalked out without saying another word. Eve followed quickly behind him. He stopped in front of her desk and stared down at the desktop. He wanted to punch something.

“James.” Eve touched his shoulder. “He’s going to be alright. Q is strong and bloody brilliant. He can take care of himself. He’ll keep himself alive until we find him. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has those kidnappers eating out of his hand in no time.”

James appreciated her attempt to comfort him. Adrian wasn’t exactly a people person. He didn’t suffer fools gladly, but he knew when to keep his head down. He didn’t think Adrian would antagonize his captors, at least not too much. He tried to smile, but he was pretty sure it came out more like a grimace.

“Thanks, Eve. I have every faith in him, but I hate that I wasn’t here. I hate that all I can do is wait.”

“I know.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s go down to Q Branch. We can see the information as it comes in.”

He nodded. “If I know Q, he’ll find a way to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

“Damn right, he will.” And when he did James would be ready. In the meantime, he had some contacts of his own, and he’d check with them.

***

_Fifteen Hours Missing_

James paced back and forth across the floor in Q Branch. He was too restless to sit for long, feeling like a caged animal. Michelle was calling out commands at a rapid clip. How was it possible that no one had found anything? James fought the urge to pull out his hair. His own contacts had come up empty. He must look scary because all of Adrian’s minions were giving him even more space than usual.

He watched Q’s people type away furiously while others rushed around. There was a lot of movement, but no one seemed to be accomplishing anything. At this point, he didn’t know why they even bothered; all of them were clearly useless. So much for being the best. A part of James knew he was being unfair but really they should have found something by now. James wished Alec were here, but he was on a mission in China. He imagined Alec would tease him about staying put even if it was the sensible thing to do. At least, Adrian would be pleased by his restraint when they found him.

Michelle rushed over to James. “A man fitting Q’s description was treated for a gunshot wound at a local hospital about half an hour ago. I have someone checking it out now.”

He wanted to rush over, but he knew he should wait. If it wasn’t Adrian, then he’d have made the trip for nothing. He waited for what seemed forever but was probably only about half an hour before he got the news. Michelle looked pale but relieved when she told him the man was not Q, that it was a dead end. Relief and fear waged a war inside him. He was grateful Adrian hadn’t been shot but this meant he was still out there somewhere. Possibly being hurt or worse. James had been in a lot of terrifying and terrible situations, but this had to be a whole new level of hell.

***

Adrian sat back on his hard bed and leaned back against the wall. He knew he should try to get some sleep, but sleep was not coming easily. He was in a small room that he was pretty sure had once been a storeroom. There were still some old barrels and a rotting cloth sack in one corner. He was surrounded by stone walls and a concrete floor. A smell of mold permeated the room, and it was very cold. He was pretty sure he was in a basement. There were no windows, so he had no idea how much time had passed.

He hoped James was on his way. He didn’t know how he arrived here but there had to be some sort of trail for his people to follow. He wished he knew what his kidnappers wanted with him. So far, they’d brought him food and water and left him to his own devices.

The door opened, and a man he hadn’t seen before entered. The man was tall with tan skin and dark curly hair. He was good looking, but his eyes were cold as he gazed at Adrian appraisingly.

“Hello, Chaos. I have to say it’s an honor to meet you. I trust your stay hasn’t been too unpleasant?”

Adrian stood up and kept his face carefully blank. How did this guy know he was Chaos? His old hacker identity was supposed to be a carefully guarded secret. As far as the world was concerned, Chaos had disappeared a few years before Adrian had taken the job as Q. It set off warning bells to hear it now. But it was also a relief that apparently his position as Q hadn’t been compromised.

The man held out his hand, but Adrian didn’t take it. He clasped his hands behind his back instead. His heart was pounding but Adrian met the other man’s gaze steadily. “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage.”

The man lowered his hand and smiled charmingly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You can call me Templeton. You didn’t answer my question.”

Adrian doubted that it was his real name, but he didn’t comment on it. He shrugged. “I can’t say as I’ve never been kidnapped before, but I’ve been adequately fed and hydrated so I guess it could be worse. Mostly it’s been boring. Your men aren’t much for scintillating conversation, I’m afraid.” In his mind's eye, Adrian could hear James telling him to be quiet, but Adrian knew what this man would expect of Chaos and meekness wasn’t it.

Templeton narrowed his eyes at Adrian’s flippant tone, but his smile never wavered. “I’m glad you find your accommodations acceptable. The reason I’ve had you brought here is that I need your assistance with a small matter. I believe that as one of the foremost hackers in the world you are more than qualified to help me.”

Adrian shrugged. Should he deny it? He decided there seemed little point. “I’m afraid I’m retired. Surely you can find someone else.” This man wanted him to hack for him. Adrian hadn’t hacked anyone without permission in years.

“I trust you haven’t let your skills get rusty. Besides, I think you know it’s in your best interest not to disappoint me. You’re a smart man.”

“Why don’t you tell me more, and I’ll see what I can do.”

Templeton nodded. “Very good, Adrian, Straight to the point then. I like that. So far, everything I’ve learned about you seems true.” He gestured toward the open door. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”

Adrian was startled by the sound of his name. Did Templeton know about his other job then? Adrian still didn’t think so. It wasn’t the name he was born with, but it was his official identity. It would have been hard for Templeton to find him but not impossible. He would have to investigate it later. He needed to make sure his position as Q wasn’t compromised.

He followed him out the door and looked around avidly. He was pleased to see he’d been correct about being in a basement. Templeton led him up the stairs and into a large room.

The wallpaper on the walls was faded and peeling and the wooden floor was dirty, and there were bits of trash lying around. Adrian wrinkled his nose at the sight. The only pieces of furniture were a large table with several computers and a couple of office chairs. There were several large windows and afternoon sunlight poured through.

Templeton saw the expression on his face. “I apologize for our surroundings. I usually prefer better accommodations, but I don’t have much time and needs must.” He shrugged. “Please sit down.” He gestured to the comfortable looking chair.

Adrian did as requested. One of the goons brought a tea tray complete with little sandwiches and biscuits.

“You take it black with a little sugar, correct?”

A shiver ran up his spine. “I do, thank you.” He took the cup and held it in his hands doing his best not to react outwardly. He was pleased to see that they didn’t shake. The warmth was comforting. He didn’t take a drink, however. Templeton knew more about him than he should.

Templeton raised an eyebrow at him and leaned back in his chair. “You don’t need to worry. I don’t have plans to drug you again if you cooperate. In fact, if it will make you feel better…” He took Adrian’s cup and handed his over. “I’m afraid I do like milk and sugar in mine, but you’re welcome to it.”

“Thank you.” He deliberately took a large sip and hid his grimace at the milky texture. He didn’t want Templeton to think he was cowed. He mirrored Templeton’s easy posture and leaned back in his own chair. “So, what is it that you want from me?”

Templeton set his cup down and leaned forward to wake up the computer. Adrian set his cup down and joined him at the desk. Templeton typed rapidly pulling up long sections of code on to the largest screen. “I need your help with some coding. I need you to help me with a program that will allow me to get past a specific set of security protocols.”

“You want me to help you hack someone?” Exactly what he’d been afraid of. Still, a task was good. He could stall and find a way to get a message out to his team. It wouldn’t do to give in too easily. He needed Templeton to believe he was cooperating.

“No, I only want you to help me complete the program. You will help to make it possible for a novice to get into banking systems at will.”

Adrian shook his head and turned slightly away from Templeton. Though he made sure not to turn his back completely. “I am not going to help you steal money or information from banks. Even when I was a hacker, I never stole from innocent people.” He had done most of his work just to see if he could.

Templeton’s face reddened with anger. His calm façade evaporating. “You broke plenty of laws as a hacker. I find it interesting that you think you have any moral ground to stand on, and you will help me do this or I will kill you. You have my word on that.”

Adrian could tell the man was serious, so he nodded. He could pretend to work on this.

Templeton smiled all charm again. “Good. By the way, there is no internet or phone here, so don’t think you’ll be able to get anyone’s attention.”

Adrian’s stomach twisted at the news, but he did his best to smile. Maybe he could still find a way.

Templeton gave his shoulder a hard squeeze, and Adrian couldn’t stop his flinch. “There’s no need to be afraid of me. If you behave yourself and do a good job, you’ll get to go home, I promise.”

Adrian doubted that but he nodded. He just needed to hold on until James came for him. _Please get here soon,_ he thought to James. Hopefully M would think to look deep into his past for answers. Templeton left the room, taking one of the goons with him. The other two were still in the next room playing cards. At least out here, he’d be able to gather more information about their movements. Then he sat down in front of the computer and began to work.

***

_Twenty-four Hours Missing_

James watched from the van as the MI5 team swarmed the warehouse where they would hopefully find Adrian. The minions had tracked some weird electricity and internet usage to the location. He’d agreed to wait in the van, but he’d insisted on being on-site. He wanted to be here in case Adrian needed him. It worried him that they hadn’t heard anything yet.

There was a loud bang and plenty of yells. He watched as several people were incapacitated and then cuffed. Once the smoke cleared, he could see several long tables with packages full of white powder. He listened to the agents clearing the scene with bated breath. _Please be here._ _Please be here_ , he silently begged Adrian.

The lead agent came over the line. “No sign of the target. I repeat he isn’t here.”

James' heart sank. “Fuck.” He yanked out the earpiece and left the van. He no longer cared what they had found here. The more time that went by, the less likely it was that they would find Adrian. Q Branch needed to do better than this.

When James arrived back at the office, he went directly down to Q Branch. Michelle looked exhausted as she stood in Adrian’s normal spot in front of several large screens.

James didn’t let himself think about that. “How is it possible that we haven’t been able to find him yet?” he demanded. His frustration spilled over. His teeth ached, and he realized he was clenching his jaw.

Michelle slammed down the mug in her hand onto the desk in front of her and turned to him. “Listen, we’re doing the best we can. We found the van he was kidnapped in, and it was torched. We couldn’t find any useable evidence. They must have switched cars in a blind spot, so we have no idea where Q is now. For the moment, we don’t have any other leads. I keep hoping Q will send us some sort of clue, but so far, there’s nothing. All we can do is keep searching what until we get some sort of lead.”

 _Unless she missed something_ , he thought. Then chided himself for the uncharitable thought. Adrian trusted his team and so did James.

James closed his eyes for a moment. “I know you’re trying, but there has to be more we can do.”

Michelle sighed. “Right now, we’re doing all we can. It won’t help to go out on any wild goose chases. There’s been no sign of Q at any of the airports. There’s a good chance he’s still in the country. I have people checking security footage for anyone matching his description, and we are looking into both Q’s enemies and your own. So far, nothing concrete has popped up.”

James smiled slightly. “I believe most if not all my enemies are in prison or dead. Q has seen to that.”

Michelle smiled back. “Yes, but someone still might be looking for revenge. Besides we both know Q had a dangerous past. I’m sure he still has enemies from the old days.” She indicated her screen where a list of names was open along with several notations.

James knew she was referring to Adrian’s time as a hacker. Adrian was the youngest Q in history, but he’d taken been doing consulting work for the government for a few years before taking on his current role. One didn’t do the kind of work they did without making a few enemies.

James sighed. “Alright. I know you’re doing your best. I hate all this waiting. I feel powerless, and that’s not something I’m used to.”

She nodded. “You’re used to taking action, but you can’t. It’s frustrating, I know. This isn’t easy for any of us. We all want to find him and bring him home safe.”

“I know,” James agreed.

Michelle reached out and touched his arm. “You should get something to eat and some rest. You look like hell; you won’t do Q any good if you collapse.” She motioned to a nearby chair. “Sit down, and I’ll have someone get you a cup of tea and a sandwich.”

James sat down and at his sandwich and drank his tea. Michelle explained what they were doing, so he was able to follow along. After a while, James felt himself relax a little. The rhythm of Q Branch was comforting and familiar. There were dozens of conversations happening at once. The sound of multiple people typing washed over him reminding him of the times Adrian worked at home. James closed his eyes letting himself rest for a few minutes.

***

_Seventy-two Hours Missing_

James was trying to get some sleep at M’s insistence when his phone buzzed, and James looked at the screen and saw it was from an unknown number.

“Bond,” he barked as he picked up the phone.

“Hello, darling. I hope you’re still in the country because I’ve had a very trying few days, and I need someone to come and pick me up.”

Bond was up and out the door in seconds. He texted Eve on his way to let M know he’d found Adrian and he asked her to send help. They needed to make sure he wasn’t abducted again. But he didn’t stop to talk to anyone directly. Eve responded almost immediately letting him know she’d contacted the local authorities and that they were on their way. James relaxed a little relieved that Adrian would be safe until he arrived. He was speeding down the road in minutes. He arrived at the location Adrian had given him—a hotel about an hour outside the city.

The local authorities were outside. A policeman was standing outside the hotel door. James checked in with him before he was led inside the lobby where Adrian was waiting. He was being checked out by an E.M.T.

The E.M.T. declared Adrian was dehydrated but otherwise okay. James waited until the medic was done before he pulled Adrian into his arms. For a long moment, they held each other tightly. James pulled back to look at him. He was filthy and his clothes were torn in places. There were also large bags under his eyes. He was an amazing sight. A laptop next to him on the gurney.

James squeezed Adrian’s arms gently. Then he let go and pulled Adrian closer and kissed him. Adrian’s lips were warm and familiar. Adrian moaned softly as his lips parted, and James deepened the kiss. The kissed for another long moment before James pulled back.

He put his hand against Adrian’s cheek. “I have been so worried about you. I’m sorry we couldn’t find you, but you seemed to disappear without a trace.”

Adrian looked annoyed. “I know. I waited for over forty-eight hours before I finally decided I had to rescue myself since it was obvious no one else was going to.”

James laughed and kissed Adrian again. “I knew you’d be able to take care of yourself.”

Adrian rolled his eyes. “It actually wasn’t very hard at all. For someone who is supposedly adept with computers, my kidnapper had crap security.

“I’m sorry we weren’t able to find you. Everyone has been searching frantically. Michelle has barely slept.”

Adrian looked at him closely. “I don’t think she’s the only one.”

James shrugged. “I had no idea where you were. Of course, I couldn’t sleep.”

Adrian smiled. “I know. I was a little worried myself. I’m sorry I couldn’t get a message to you. I tried but there was no internet or phone where they were holding me.”

“Did they hurt you?” James asked quietly. If they had, James would kill them.

Adrian shook his head. “No, aside from drugging me and stuffing me in the back of a van, they treated me well. The man who had me kidnapped threatened me, but he needed me to do a job for him.”

“They’re lucky I didn’t find them first. They won’t be happy when I finally get my hands on them”

Adrian patted his arm. “Calm down, darling. You don’t need to worry about these men. I took care of two of them and I promise you I will find the others and make sure they can never hurt anyone again. You can help if you want.”

James grinned put his arm around Adrian. He was still angry but as he looked at his lover, he felt a lot of it melt away. “I’m looking forward to it. Come on, let’s get back to the office. I want to have medical look at you, and M is going to want a debriefing.”

Adrian sagged against him. “I’m fine. They really did leave me alone for the most part. They needed my help with some coding. I convinced them I couldn’t do my best work unless I was as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.” He sighed. “I’m desperate for a shower too.”

A Detective Inspector was waiting for them. He introduced himself as Inspector Darbey. He didn’t wait for James and Adrian to give their names before continuing. “I just wanted to let you know we secured the scene and we’re waiting for your teams to arrive.”

“Thank You,” James said and shook the man’s hand. Before the Inspector could give him more details, James led Adrian away. He’d find out the details soon enough Adrian was his priority.

Once they were on their way, Adrian turned to him. “Oh, let me borrow your phone. I need to text Eve. We need to send a team to pick up my kidnappers.” James handed him his mobile. Adrian spent a while on the phone with Eve and Michelle. James listened with some amusement.

Once Adrian was done, James raised an eyebrow. “I think you have an interesting story to tell me.”

Adrian shrugged. “Yes, but I’m only telling it once.”

James gave him a quick look. “You look exhausted. Rest until we get back to the city. It’ll be at least 45 minutes.”

Adrian lay back in his seat and in a moment, he was asleep snoring softly. James smiled to himself, sneaking a quick look at him. He’d known he was in trouble with Adrian when he realized he found the other man’s snores endearing.

They arrived at MI6, and Adrian was whisked away to medical. James followed behind him only to be stopped by Tanner.

“You shouldn’t have just run off, James. You should have let us send a team with you.”

James shrugged. “I couldn’t wait, and Q needed me immediately. I knew you’d send the local authorities to help. I had to get to him as quickly as possible. You have the location of where he was kept. Do we know anything yet?”

Tanner shot him an annoyed look. “Yes, our team is on site. They found three bodies, all shot in the head. But that’s all I know so far. I’ll let you know as soon as I have more information.”

James nodded and smiled grimly. “Thank you.” He was glad Adrian’s kidnappers were dead.

He left Tanner and went down to medical to wait for Adrian.

***

Three hours later, Adrian had been given a clean bill of health. He’d been allowed to shower and rest awhile, but M had been impatient to talk to him.

M, James, and Adrian were sitting in his office with glasses of scotch. James and Adrian were sitting as close as they could, their arms almost touching.

M smiled and his eyes raked over Adrian in frank assessment. “I’m so glad to see you’re well, Q. I’m sorry we couldn’t find you, but I’m not surprised you were able to free yourself.”

“I was kidnapped by a man named Templeton. He called me Chaos and told me he needed some help with some coding.”

M leaned forward. “Did he know you work for MI6?”

Adrian shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. He knew my current name, but he made no mention of my position as Q or MI6. He also didn’t mention James. But I got the impression he knew a lot about my cover life. He wanted me to finish some code for him. I pretended to work on it and bided my time.

“Finally, a few hours ago, I got my chance. Templeton and one goon went out; I don’t know where. One of the remaining goons was stupid enough to let me get ahold of his taser. I injured two of them and left them tied up. Not sure if they were still there.”

M tapped on his tablet, and a photo of three dead bodies popped up on the screen. “A team arrived at the location where you were being held and we found that.” M held out a tablet to Adrian, and he swiped through the pictures.

“These are the three goons. They weren’t dead when I left them. The two blonds are the ones that kidnapped me. I assume Templeton killed them. Did you find anything else? There were a couple of computers.”

“No, the place was empty.” M steepled his fingers. “Do you have anything else to report?”

Adrian sighed. “They clearly went to a lot of trouble to plan this. They held me in an abandoned farmhouse, in a basement. I was given access to a computer, but there was no Wi-Fi or phone line. They kept their phones locked up when I was out of the basement. Without access to a computer, I couldn’t send out any messages. He didn’t even allow me to see all the program’s code at once.”

“Do you have any idea what it was for?”

Adrian took a sip of his water. “He told me it was for bypassing bank security, but I think there’s more to it. I managed to grab the laptop they let me work on. I saved all the parts of the code they gave me as well as my own work. The computer is down in Q Branch. I destroyed the rest of the equipment.

“I’ll need to study the information much more carefully. The code he showed me was impressive though. It would allow anyone to break through firewalls and most top-level security. The program if completed could have many other uses.”

M nodded. “I’ll want to work on that as soon as possible. I’ll also want your report on my desk as soon as you return.” Mallory looked Adrian over. “I’m so sorry this happened. As always, I’m impressed with your work and your resilience in the face of a difficult situation.”

Adrian smiled. “Thank you.”

“Still this can’t happen in the future so no more public transportation. You will accept the driver we offered,” M said.

James was in favor of several armed guards at this point, but he knew he should keep his mouth shut. He’d take the car and driver.

Adrian nodded. “Alright, I figured you were going to say that.”

M smiled. “Good. Now that that’s settled. MI5 is searching for this Templeton, with our help, of course.”

“Good, in that case, I’ll start looking into Templeton myself right now,” Adrian said. “He had a rather posh accent. I think he must have gone to public school. He also knows a lot about computers and is plugged into the hacker community. I will find him” Adrian didn’t allow room for doubt.

James frowned. He opened his mouth to protest, but M beat him to it.

“You will do no such thing. You will go straight home and rest. In fact, I don’t want to see you for the next three days at least.” M stood, and Adrian and James followed. M held out his hand to Adrian, and they shook. “I’m glad to have my Quartermaster back. I’ll expect regular reports.”

“But, sir,” Adrian protested. “I’d like to get to work while it’s all fresh in my mind. I don’t need to rest. The whole thing wasn’t that bad, honestly.”

James choked on air. “Maybe not for you, but I was bloody miserable.”

Arian turned and gave him a soft smile. “I know. I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll go home for three days, but then I’ll be back and ready to work.”

“We’ll see,” M said. “I’ll have R start looking at the code in the meantime.”

“Fine,” Adrian agreed. They left M’s office. Eve was waiting to give Adrian yet another big hug before letting him go.

As they left, Adrian spoke quietly. “I’m not sure what good having Michelle check the code will do. I had to rescue myself. I’m disappointed to be honest. I expected to be found. I’m going to look at all the work that was done. I have half a mind to fire them all and build my team from scratch.”

James frowned as he motioned Adrian toward the elevator. “We did follow every lead we could find. The van you were abducted in was found abandoned a few miles away and we had no idea where they had taken you. We followed every lead, no matter how small. We actually came across an illegal drug ring while trying to find you.” James ignored that fact that he’d had similar thoughts at times. He was sure the team had done their best, and Adrian would see that.

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m glad to hear that. Still, I shouldn’t have been that hard to find. You are all trained agents, the top of your field. Yet I had to rescue myself. You will all be doing extra training my team and the 00’s for good measure.” Adrian stabbed the down button.

James thought it best not to comment on _that_. He put his arm around his lover. “I think you’re being a little hard on your team. Why don’t you give it some time, but in the end, you can do what you like.”

They stepped into the elevator. “Maybe. I’ll keep an open mind. At the very least, there will be some retraining going on,” he muttered, and James laughed softly.

“Are you hungry?”

Adrian nodded. “I would love a curry.”

“A curry it is then. We can stop in on the way home.” James pulled Adrian closer for a moment.

When they arrived, Adrian made sure the security was on. Frodo came rushing over to him, and Adrian hugged him close. The warm weight of him was comforting. Adrian started to shake slightly then looked at the kitchen table where the china and candles still waited. “I’m furious our anniversary dinner was interrupted again. This is the third year in a row that something has kept us from celebrating.”

James set the food on the table then walked over and wrapped his arms around Adrian from behind. He must have felt Adrian trembling because he tightened his hold for a moment. He loosened his grip, and Adrian turned in his arms and buried his face in James’ shoulder. “It’s alright love. You’re safe. You’re home,” James whispered They held each other for a while until Adrian calmed down.

“At least we’re in the same place this time,” Adrian said as James kissed the top of his head.

“I’m knackered. Can we just have dinner and go to bed?” Adrian was looking forward to sleeping in James' arms. There was no place he felt safer.

James nodded. “Of course. We’re both exhausted.” I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so scared for you.”

Adrian smiled as James’ arms tightened around him. “I know. I was terrified too. I wasn’t entirely helpless. I managed to take one of them down before they incapacitated me.”

“I’m very proud of you. You used your training well. Still, we’re going to be increasing your training.”

“All right.” Adrian wrapped his arms around James’ neck and kissed him. Adrian parted his lips and the kiss deepened, their tongues tangling together. They stood there kissing for several minutes before James kissed him one more time gently and stepped back. Adrian made a noise of protest and tried to lean in again, but James stepped back.

“You need food and rest. We can pick this up later after you’ve had some sleep,” James told him.

Adrian couldn’t disagree. He cupped his cheek. “You need food and sleep too.” He looked at the table. “Can we just watch a movie while we eat? I could use a distraction.”

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

They ate their food sitting together side by side on the sofa and watching a mindless action movie. Adrian allowed himself to revel in the safety of his home and being close to James. Once they finished their food, Adrian leaned against James and dozed off. He woke up to James picking him up off the sofa. He smacked James’ shoulder. “What have I told you about carrying me?”

James chuckled warmly. “I was trying to carry you to bed without waking you. Just let me do it.”

Adrian sighed. “I’m too tired to complain.” He secretly didn’t mind it, but he wouldn’t let James know that.

James walked into the bedroom and laid Adrian gently on the bed. He started to move away, but Adrian reached up and pulled him into a kiss. Adrian felt James stiffen in surprise for a moment but then he responded, deepening the kiss. Kissing James was always amazing.

James pulled back and met his eyes. Whatever he saw there, he smiled and kissed him again. The kiss started off soft but became more insistent. James ended the kiss and quickly divested them both of their clothing. Adrian ran his hands along James’ back. Then Adrian pulled James down on top of him, enjoying the warmth and heat of his body as James kissed down his neck. Adrian relaxed as he ran his hand through James' hair and forgot about the rest of the world for a while.

A while later, they were lying together, and James' arms were tight around him. Adrian would never have thought James Bond was a cuddler, but he’d been pleasantly surprised. James could be quite romantic at times.

James kissed the top of his head. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried I wouldn’t see you again.”

Adrian smiled. It wasn’t like James to be so open with his emotions. He knew that his disappearance had shaken his lover badly. Adrian tried to sit up, and with seeming reluctance James let go. He shifted around until he could look a James. “I’m fine, love, truly.” He took James' hand and laced their fingers together.

“I know, and I’m incredibly grateful, but from now on, you’re going to start carrying a tracker.”

Adrian raised his eyebrow. “I will if you will.”

James scowled, and Adrian laughed in response. “I’m thinking maybe we should make them standard for everyone,” he told James

James shrugged. “You’re not the first one to suggest it. Boothroyd suggested it in the past, but there was a concern they might be hacked by our enemies.”

That was a good point. “Hmm, I’m sure I could make something untraceable. There are privacy issues to be considered. We’d need to insure our employees the trackers would only be used on missions or in emergencies. I’ll talk to M about it,” Adrian decided.

James nodded. “I’m still not doing it, for the record.”

Adrian just smiled at him.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” James asked softly, his eyes still full of concern.

“No, not now. I’ll have to see the shrink anyway. It could have been worse. Templeton was remarkably polite for a kidnapper.”

James clenched his jaw. “He kidnapped you and threatened you. I won’t forget that. I’d really like a few minutes alone with this Templeton. You are going to find him so we can have a chat, right?”

“Oh, you can bet on it. I’ll start looking tomorrow.” The sooner Adrian found the bastard, the better.

“It can wait for a few days.” James pulled Adrian closer again and pulled the covers over them. “Until you’ve had time to recover from your ordeal, and then we are going to talk about your security,” he warned.

Adrian snorted in response. They both needed time. At least they’d be able to spend the next few days together. Adrian got comfortable and closed his eyes.

“I love you,” James whispered in his ear.

Adrian smiled and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
